Sarcoma tumors are malignant growths that can develop in connective tissue, including muscle, bone, fat, and cartilage. They can metastasize and be fatal, so early diagnosis is crucial. Treatment includes excision and drug therapy. Biopsies are used to confirm the diagnosis and identify the type of connective tissue involved.
A sarcoma tumor is a malignant growth that appears in connective tissue, with doctors classifying sarcomas as tumors due to their malignancy. Sarcomas can develop in muscle, bone, fat and cartilage and metastasize by breaking down and traveling in the blood to new regions of the body. Like other malignancies, a sarcoma tumor can be fatal and the treatment outcome for the patient is greatly improved if the tumor can be diagnosed as early as possible.
Tumors arise when a problem occurs during cell division, causing cells to start replicating wildly, rather than simply replicating enough cells to replace dead and damaged cells. In the case of a sarcoma, the tumor usually begins in mesenchymal cells, stem cells that can differentiate into bone, muscle, tendon, and other connective tissue. As the tumor grows, it produces a lump of tissue that can start spreading to nearby regions or spread to other parts of the body as discussed above.
When a doctor suspects a patient may have sarcoma, they usually order a biopsy, in which a sample of tissue is taken for examination. During the exam, a pathologist will look at the sample under a microscope to learn more. He or she can confirm that the growth is a sarcoma, rather than a benign tumor, and more information about the level of malignancy can also be gathered.
Part of identifying the sarcoma tumor involves classifying the type of connective tissue in which it has arisen. An osteosarcoma, for example, is a tumor that originated in bone, while an adenosarcoma emerges in glandular tissue. In the case of a sarcoma that has metastasized to other parts of the body, it may be important to identify the tissue where the sarcoma originally appeared so that the tumor can be traced and hopefully eradicated.
Treatment for a sarcoma tumor typically includes an excision of the tumor and the use of drugs designed to inhibit the tumor from recurring. In cases where the tumor cannot be removed, drugs will be used in an attempt to keep the tumor from getting bigger, and drugs may also be able to shrink the tumor. Both the sarcoma and the treatment can be very distressing for the patient, requiring a pain management program and great communication between the patient and the primary care physician to ensure that the patient’s health and comfort are closely monitored.
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